Tom Jones
Tom is a man who wants to protect those who cannot proctect themselves, and to bring order and justice to the world. Appearance Tom is 30 years old. He is only 5 foot 6 in height, but is very stocky and burly. He has a full beard, and short black hair. He often wears a plaid jacket and blue jeans. In short, he looks like a classic lumberjack. ---- Personality Tom is 30 years old. He is only 5 foot 6 in height, but is very stocky and burly. He has a full beard, and short black hair. He often wears a plaid jacket and blue jeans. In short, he looks like a classic lumberjack. ---- Backstory Born and raised in Glasswater, he had a normal life. When he was 20, he found the love of his life. They both loved the outdoors, and wanted a quiet life, so they built a cabin together in the woods north of town. 5 years later, Tom was out hunting, and came back to find mountain bandits burning down his cabin. Blinded by rage and fear, he picked up the axe in a tree stump nearby him, and charged the 3 bandits. He managed to kill all 3, but by the time he was able to go inside and retrieve his wife, it was too late. She had already died from suffocation. The next chapter of his life consisted of drinking and self pity. Only recently has he snapped out of it, and decided he needed to make a change in the world. He knows he can never stop terrible things from happening, but he can damn well try his best. History It was time to leave Glasswater, time to leave all the looks of pity behind. He would never forget the kindness the Daz showed him though. After he drank away all his savings, Daz offered him room and board. In return, all Daz asked for was help in the tavern; whether it be throwing out rowdy patrons, or help in the kitchen, or any other menial task. Daz never once mentioned Tom's drinking himself to sleep everynight. That is, until last week. Daz sat Tom down and asked him one simple question, "what is it you want with life?". Tom had pondered that, and finally made his decision. He wanted to help people, people too weak to defend themselves, he wanted justice to those who exploit the weak. He then left Glasswater, with his newly purchased greataxe strapped behind his back. He decided to make his way to Stromness, as good as place to start as any he supposed. It didn't take long for him to find someone in trouble. Destiny some might say, but Tom wasn't one of those people. Some bandits were robbing a lone merchant on the road, people were just walking by, minding their own business and trying not to get involved. As Tom drew close, he began to grab his axe, then one of the robbers spotted him. The bandit sneered at him, "and just what do you plan to do with that big thing eh?" Tom merely frowned at the bandit. "Leave. Now!" Tom then heard a bang. He didn't quite understand at first, then he looked at his leg. Someone had shot him, must have been another robber. Someone then knocked him down from behind. He heard the first robber laughing, as he tried to get back up but was being forced back down by a weight on his back. "You're to weak to play the hero pal, be glad we're robbers and not murderers." With that, Tom could do nothing but watch them finish robbing the poor merchant, taking the most valuable things they could carry. After the robbers left, the merchant approached Tom, patched him up as best as he could and thanked him. Tom apologized he didn't actually help, but the merchant merely laughed, and showed him the fake floor in the back of the caravan. It was lined bars of gold, Tom couldn't even begin to imagine how much it was all worth. "Tell you what, I'll let you come with me to the rest of the way to Telmar, all I need you to do is sit in the front with me and look menacing." Tom agreed, for he had no better plans. The merchant didn't tell Tom very much, Tom didn't learn his name, what or who the gold was for, but the merchant seemed to enjoy the company nonetheless. After they arrived at Telmar, the merchant said they had to go their separate ways. Before he left though, he gave Tom a map with the location of an old acquaintance of his and a note to deliver to him. It was the least Tom could do since the merchant patched him up. The man lived near the mountains north of Telmar. When Tom finally found the place, he knocked on the doors with apprehension. The man who opened the door was the largest man Tom had ever seen. "What the fuck do you want?" Tom handed him the note without saying anything, The large man slowly read it, then looked at Tom curiously. As Tom was about to open his mouth to say goodbye, since his job here was done, the man punched Tom in the face, breaking his nose, and sending him reeling backwards. "At least you didn't fall, that's a start I guess." Seeing the look of confusion on his face, the man laughed. "Of course he didn't tell you! Just like him. He asked me to train you. The names Flint. Come on in, I have stew ready." Flint stuck out his hand, clearly looking to shake hands. Not wanting to seem weak, Tom instantly straightened up and shook his hand. Over stew, Flint gave Tom a brief history of himself. Flint was a guard for a merchant vessel in the grand line, but was now retired. The merchant was a man named Tycho, who was one of the merchants Flint traveled with. Apparently Flint owed Tycho somehow, and this was repayment. The next few months were spent on arduous training. He sharpened his skills with his axe, and learned how to properly defend allies. Above all though, there was resistance training. Tom learned to ignore and work through the pain, and learned how to contort and relax his muscles in such a way that he was hurt less when struck. Flint was on an entirely different level then Tom. When they sparred, Flint didn't even break a sweat. When they first began sparring, Flint would win in seconds. Tom was eventually able to make the fights longer little by little. Finally, one day after a 30 minute sparring session, Flint wiped the sweat from his brow and said "I hear there is going to be a royal tournament in Telmar soon, maybe you should go. You're a quick study, and you'll learn more out there then you will here with me, I don't have much more to show you anyway. I'll let you rest up here tonight, but you leave tomorrow. If you see Tycho, tell him the debt better be paid by now." So, Tom set off, feeling much more confident in his abilities, though he knew he had a long way to go still. When Tom finally reached Telmar, he realized he was barely too late, the tournament had just begun. He decided he would settle with watching the tournament, perhaps he could learn from observing the fights. Status Fighting Style Level 1 tech Smash: +2 damage, if hit -1 dodge/block on opponent for 1 round. (3 round CD) Level 5 tech Bullrush: -10 dodge/block for 1 round if hit (5 round CD) Level 10 tech Staggering blows: Ongoing 3 turns. +8 damage, -2 dodge/block to opponent if hit (5 round CD after tech ends) Items and Equipment